Button-placing device for sewing-machines.



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Hozum UNTED STATES PATENT FFCE.

JULIUS J. BRELL, F NEW YORK, N. Y.

BUTTON-PLACING DEVICE FOB. SEWING-MACHINES.

Application filed August '11, 1.8M.

r To all ywhom t may concern.

Be it known that I, JULIUs J. BRELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York,

(whose post-office address is 530 West 159th street, in said city,) have invented a new and useful Improvement in Button-Placing Dcvices for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a and correctly set each button in turn for the needle of the sewing machine, so that buttons may be sewn by a machine, provided with my attachment, without any manual l labor other than that necessary to put the needle over the place where the button is to be sewn. and to then start the operation of the machine. This, and other objects are accomplished by my invention, one embodiment of which is hereinafter more particu- J' larly described.

t For a more particular description of my 1, invention, reference is to be had to the acf ing shown on the opposite side from that on l which F ig. 1 is taken: and

; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the structure i shown in Fig. 3, parts being broken away to clearly disclose the construction.

Throughout the various views of the drawings similar reference characters designate similar parts.

My improved button placing device is attached to a suitable button sewing machine 2 ot' the conventional kind, in a manner which will be described below. In the particular embodiment of my invention, here illustrated. the machine 2 is adapted to sew. through the holes of a button 3, and it is therefore necessary that these holes come into proper registration with the needle before the needle begins to operate, otherwise the needle will strike the solid portieri of a button and thereby become bent or broken, and render the machine inoperative,

Specification of Letters latent.

device of this class which will automatically Patented June 25, 1918.

semi no. 114,308.

The buttons 3 which are to be attached by the sewing machine 2 come from a hopper or magazine, not shown, of the conventional kind, and from thence slide down, right side up, this slidingV taking place in a suitable chute 4, supported by any proper means, not shown, and this chute 4 has a grooved face 5 on which are fixed' suitable parallel plates 6 by screws or other suitable means, and between these plates there is a slot 7 through which the buttons may be observed and their progress checkedby means to be described below. As will a pear, the mechanism is such that only one utton is released for each reciprocation of the apparatus so that too many buttons cannot be fedso as tointerfere withthe operation of the device and the sewing' machine. Any suitable mechanism for permitting the buttons to be shifted one at a time may be employed,

although the preferred one is here employed.

Near the bottom of the chute 4, and on the base 5, is placed asuitable guide 8 which is held in position by screws orlotherwise, and this guide carries a slide 9 which moves in the direction of itslength, and not otherl wise, under the influence of means to be described. Under all conditions this slide 9 obstructs the passage in the chute 4, as it has two projections therein separated by the width of a button and one of these always blocks the chute so that buttons work by one at a time, as shown i'n my 'U'. S. Patent No.. 1,212,181, dated January 16, 1917. This slide 9 carries a projecting cam 10 which is fixed thereto in any suitable way, as byl a screw 11, and the. Vfree end of this cam 10 passes over the plates 6 of the chute 4. This cam 10` whileso passing, engages a lever 12 which is normally keptin contact with said cam by a spring 13 and this lever 12 is fulcrumed at 14 in any suitable way as by brackets and a pin, and at its free end it is provided with a in 15 which projects into the slot 7, and c ose to the bottom thereof so as to prevent, buttons from crowding;r the projections on the slide 9 whenever the cam 10 is far enough under the lever and -then the lower end of the lever 12 is held against this cam 1'0 by the tension of the spring 13. When this cam 10 is withdrawn, so that the spring l3is free to act, it raises the point 15 from the mounted in suitable brackets 19 and 20, the

All

former of which rises from the reciprocating frame 21 which has its extreme cn uided by a perforation in a suitable brac et 22 xedly mounted on the base 23 .of the sewing machine, and its other end is connected by .screws or otherwise to a reciprocating bent bar 24 which is guided by means of a suitable bracket 25 which is fixed to the bed 23 of the sewin machine From this bar 24 rises the brac et 20. A suitable coil spring 26 connects this bar 24 with the bracket 25 so that under normal conditions this coil Vspringwill cause the bur 24 and its frame 21 to remain in their rearmost' positions, except wheny ex elled from such positions 'and kept out of t em by mechanism which Vwill be described below. VThe rear part of the bar 24 has an adjustably connected and vertically disposed end 2 7 whichmay'be' engaged by any of three'pins 28 fixed to the4V cam 29, which is timedso as to revolve onethird of a revolution for each button'sewed' on by the sewing machine. If'a button has `a diderent number of holes and the needle passes through a different number for this reason, more orless pins 28 may be had as required. The fshaft 30, on which the cam 29 is mounted, is connected to the main shaft of the machine so as to revolve -in unisfon therewith. Under normal conditions. the Ivertically disposed end 27 is kept 'out of the path of the adjustably mounted pins -28 by means of a pawl 31 which is connected to the frameor bracket 25 by means of a suitable coil springr 32, so that under normal conditions this pawl may engage one tooth of the ratchet 33 which is adjustably mounted on the bar 24. The pawlf31 isV pivoted at 34 in a suitable bracket 35 :which is securedto the bracket 25, and the freie end of this pawl 31 is adapted to be engaged by an adjustably mounted lug 36 which is'fxedly secured to a starting' rod 37 which, at its lower end is connected to a chain 38, which in turn is connected to a foot pedal, not shown, by which the button placing'| mechanism may be actuated. The upper end of the starting rod 37 is flexibly connected to a lever 39 which forms a part of the presser foot lifting device for the sewing machine, so that the sewing machine and button placingr mechanism. are open ated in unison when the foot pedal is pressed and the chain 38 and the rod 37 are actuated. An adjustably mounted lock 40 just above the table or plate 23 and on the rod 65 with an adjustably mounted pin 46 which engages 1in-adjustable link 47 which is in turn pivotallyv connected to another link 48 which is pivotally connected lat its lower lcrumed at and has another arm provided I5 f end to a small lever 49, the parts being so 80 arranged and disposed that when the exposed ,end of the lever 49, shown in Fig. 2 is drawn toward the rear by the downwar 'movement of the starting rod 37'the' other or concealed end of this lever 49 is thrust V85 button guide-piece 51 which is supported by a bracket 52 ,which runs tothe head 53 of the sewing?` machine 2,'so that the button guide- 96 piece 51 is supported by the part in which "forward in a manner and for a purpose i which willlie-described below. By ad]ust fing the pin 46 in the slotin the lever 44`it v the needle guide runs. This button guide` piece'51 has a suitable'slot -54nea1 to the lower end of the slot in the chute 4 so that a button is delivered directly from the chute tothe slot 54 of the button guide'and in` front of the slide which is reciprocated in this slot 54 when the frame 21 is reciprocated, as above described, so that a button 3 in this slot 54 is shifted by the' slide 50 into 105 the jaws 55 where it is gripped with a spring pressure and held against a stop 56, these jaws and the stop being properly held under a platev57 and over a cam plate 58, and

bothof these plates are adaptedv tor move 110 vertically because they` are carried by a stem 59 mounted so as to reciprocate at the proper time in the goose neckV 60 nwhich forms a part of the machine 2. The stem 59'is connected by a pin 61 to the lifting 115 bar of the machine so that when this bar rises after the needle has completed its operation and. when the foot pedal is i depressed, 1t will raise the stem 59 with it and when it is depressed the stem 59 is lowered. 120

A suitable mechansm,as described in my said Patent No. 1,212,181, provides for the proper opening and closing of these jaws 55 and their raising and lowering, as above set forth,

From the foregoing, it is obvious that the hol-es or eyelets in the button 3 may fall in any position with regard to the needle 5 l sliding bar G2 which moves in a suitable guide (i3. which has a slot, (54 in lts ruppe: surface, through which protrudes a pin that is connected to a spring G6 which is also connected to a corresponding pin 67 mounted on the guide 63, so that the bar G2 is normally held in its rearmost position through the action of this spring 66 and is shifted forward by the downward movement of the starting rod 37 through the mechanism described below. The stop pin 68 limits this rearward movement as shown in Fig.A 4..

This stop pin 68 also carries one end of a suitable coil spring 69 the other end of which is secured to a pin 70 and extends from a small pivoted link or clevis 71 mounted on the bar 62, the forward end of which is pivotally connected to a bent arm 72 and to this arm T2 is pivotally secured a finger 73, the forward end 74 of which is pointed and adapted to engage the button and turn the same ou its rearward movement, never on its forward movement so that when the button-B leaves the finger I3 the hole in the button is sure to be in proper registration for tlfe needle. and as all holes stand in a fixed relation to each other in each button, it is obvious that all holes are properly placed for the action ofthe needle. It is to be noted that before the finger 73 leaves the button, it has rotated the button a predetermined amount so that when the finger 73, on its rearward movement, frees itself from the hole in the button which it. has engaged. the button has been rotated a certain distance so that its holes are properly positioned. To canse the point 74 to act only on its return movement and never on its forward movement a projection 75 is secured `to the top thereof und the free end of this projection 75 rides over the top of a cam 76 fixed to the frame 21 as shown in Figs.4 3 and 4. The button turning mechanism is so arranged and timed in its movements so that when the finger 73 movesl forward to ward the jaws 55, these jaws are not holdingr a button between them.- During the complete forward movement of the finger 73, thcl projection 75 on said finger does not contact with the cam 76. After the linger 73 has moved to the limit of its forward movement. a button is then thrust between the jaws by means of the slide 50 on the. frame 21. As the slide 50 moves toward the jaws 55 to force a button between them, the

frame 2l is, of course, correspondingly moved, and when Vthe frame 2l so moves, it causes the cam 7G to be passed beneath the projection 75 whereby the finger 73.is lifted so that the pathway of the button, as it is thrust between the jaws 55, is not obstructed by the finger 73. As the frame 2l continues its movement, toward the right as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4, the cam 76 passes entirely beneath the projection 75, thus allowing the projection 'Z to descr-ud and correspondv4 ingly allowing the finger 73 to descend on the face of the button held between the jaws 55. The jaws then descend so that when the finger 73 moves rearwardly and rotates' the button, the projection -75 passes under the cam 76. The jaws 55 continue their downward movement until they reach their lowermost position, when the button is sewed in place by the needle in the usual manner. Y

The guide G3 has a projection 8O seclired to it, and from this projection 8O extends a spring guide 77 which rests on the finger 73 to guide the same and to resist improper movement of the finger. '4

In view .of the foregoing, the operation of my improved attachment will be readily understood.- -Assuming the 'parts to be ready and the buttons in the hopper, they come down the chute 4, as above described, and one at a time are let into the s101154 of the guide 51. The first button should be put. in place by hand, or otherwise, so that the machine will not sew When no buttonv is in position. After the first button has been sewn in place the foot treadle is pressed and thereby raises the jaws 55 tothe level of the slot 5f and frees these jaws of the button which has been attached to the fabric as described in mv said application. lVhen the jaws are so raised the slide 50 is actuated to force another button lbetween these jaws andthen they are lowered.- When these jaws are raised and before a button has been inserted between them, the linger 7 3 goes forward and is then elevated and lowered as heretofore described and when lowered this finger is drawn backward and then the point 74 of this finger wipes the button and turns it, if any turning is required, until it is truc and then the button gets free of the finger as it is lowered in the jaws 55, and leaves the same, ns the guide 77 keeps the point 74 from reaching the lowest button level as above set forth.

.This c vcle is repeated as long;r as the machine sews buttons. Each button 3 is fed as above described, one at a time down the chute 1- and then the frame 21 is reciprocated rearwardly and then forwardly once for each button that is sewed, the forward i i hardest,

reciprocation being caused by the action of a pin 28 and the-rearward rcciiirocation ily the action of the spring 2G. The pawl il engages with the ratchet 33 in time to prevent a backward movement when the pedal is not depressed. The starting bar 37 is raised as before the sewing mechanism is started. The button feeding mechanism is actuated through the screws 17 and 18 so as to shift the slide 9 and the parts connected thereto, while the billion ii is la .ig mcd so that another button will be ready :tor ne next operation of the machine.

It will be understood that the machine is started fromtwo pedals neither of which is shown. One, as above set forth, actnates the button feeding and placing device, the other starts the sewing machine. These pedals are pressedsuccessively, first the button placing pedal and after it is restored, the sewin machine starting pedal.

Alt ough I have shown and described one embodiment of my invcntion, it is obvious that it is not restricted thereto but is broad enough to cover all structures that come within the scope of the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l, In a machineof the class described, means for holding a button, means for turning said button in said holder, means for reciprocating said buttonturning means forward and away from the button holder, means for elevating the button-turning means when said means has reached its forward position and means for lowering said button-turning means whereby said buttonturning means rotates the button on its rearward movement.

2. In a machine of the class described, means for holding a button in the ath of a needle, and means for turning the button in said holder, said means comprising a pivoted finger provided with a point at its end, means for reciprocating said finger, a projection extending from said finger, a cam and means for reciprocating the same to cause it to engage the projection so that whenthe finger reaches its forward position it is raised and then lowered to wipe the button on its return movement and to turn the same so that the holes in said button arein proper registration with the path of the needle.

3. In a machine of the class described, means for holding a button in the path of a needle, a reciprocating finger for engaging said button while so held and rotating the same, means for reciprocating said finger a projection on said finger, means for engaging said projection when the finger has reached its forward position, to elevate and hold said linger free from contact with said button and means for causing said finger to engage and rotate the button on its rearward 65 movement..

In a machine of the class described, means for holding a button, a reciprocating linger for rotating said button in its holder,

a laterally extending projection on said finger, a cam for engaging said projection when said finger reaches its forward position and lifting said finger, said cam adapted to hiere-nie tlm-imaged from said projection en the Paauw-.tri n'iovclnent of said fin- 75 gbr, and means lor causing an engagement ci said linger with the button to rotate the saine on the rearward movement of said finger.

in a machine of the class described, means for sewing on buttons, means for suppl ying buttons to said button sewing means,

a pair of jaws for holding a button received 'from said button supplying means between said jaws, a reciprocating finger moving above said button while held in said jaws, a downwardly projecting integrally formed point on said finger for engaging a button while held in Asaidjaws and rotating the same, and means forv engaging said linger to lift the same when` the ger reaches the limit of its forward movement, and means for causing said finger izo-engage and rotate the button on `its rearward reciproca.- tion. .i s 6. In a machine of theclss described, means for sewing on buttons, achute for de livering buttons to said button sewing means, means for individually delivering a button to said button sewing means comprising a pivoted finger and a cam movable beneath said finger, means for reciprocating said cam, said means comprising a reci rocating frame with projections to engage t e cam, a bracket in which a ortion of said frame is mounted, means orA reciprocating said frame in one direction comprising a rotatable shaft with radially extending projections for contacting with a portion of said frame and means for reciprocating said frame in another direction, said means comprising a spring extendin from said frame to the bracket in whic i said frame is mounted. i i i' 7. In a machine of the class described, a button chate for delivering buttons individualiy to button attaching means, a )air of jaws for holding the buttons delivers by said chute, a slide for forcing the buttons delivered by the chute between said jaws, a reciprocating linger for moving between the jaws, and means for elevating the finger clear of the button when the finger has reached the limit of its forward movement and causing the finger to contact with and rotate the button on its rearward movement.

8. In a machine of the class described, means for sewing on buttons, means for feeding buttons to the button sewing mechanism, said button fcedin means including, n. bracket, a bur slda ly mounted therein, :L spring adapted to draw said bar in one direction, a pawl adapted to hold said hdr in its forward position against the tension of the spring, u rotatable shaft, :L plurality of radially extending projccion on said shaft for intermittently engaging and moving the bur forward against thc tension of the spring :unl mcnns for releasing the pnwl so that the bnr may be drawn rearwardly by Suid spring.

JULIUS J. BRELL. 

